TIHDS,  ©FEM.  ©©©E 
IM  PERSIA 

*■— ^ I '3-» 


/ 


f 


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I THE  OPEN  DOOR 
IN  PERSIA 

E.  T.  ALLEN 


\\’ith  tlic  plain  of  Sulduz  two  days’  jour- 
ney to  the  south  of  us,  and  with  our  tent 
pitched  upon  the  roof  in  tlie  large  village  of 
Mahniedker,  we  were  able  to  meet  the  people 
freely  and  to  visit  the  other  villages  in  the 
vicinity.  Having  a folding  organ  with  us  we 
were  always  assured  of  a crowd — one  old 
woman  said,  trying  to  be  nice:  “Tbe  organ 

is  the  monkey  of  Jesus  Christ.”  It  surely 
was  a drawing  card  wherever  we  went.  I 
think  the  children,  too,  had  a part  in  gather- 
ing the  people,  for  these  parts  had  never  seen 
the  children  of  foreigners  before,  at  least  not 
this  generation,  and  they  were  curious  to  see 
, what  a foreigner  looks  like  when  he  is 
young.  They  saw  a good  deal  of  them,  for 
our  three  are  very  numerous  and  coming 
from  Chicago  thej-  are  good  mi.xers.  It  was 
not  long  before  they  had  plenty  of  playmates 
. and  other  things  too.  Moving  our  tent  and 
other  things  on  a great  two-wheeled  cart, 
drawn  by  the  big  water  buffalo,  we  visited  and 
spent  a week  in  each  of  two  other  Syrian 
villages — Chiana,  at  the  head  of  the  plain,  and 
the  other  Ukhsar,  about  half  way  between 
, the  two  last  mentioned.  Leaving  ^Irs.  Allen 
I and  the  children  in  the  tent.  I went  on  up 
into  the  Kurdish  country  of  Ushnook,  and 


I 


spent  a few  days  there  looking  at  prospects. 
The  Turks  were  in  possession  of  the  country 
then,  but  since  meeting  the  Bulgars  they  have 
all  been  called  away  to  do  their  share  of  the 
fighting  in  the  West.  Ushnook  offers  plenty  of 
opportunitj'  for  one  who  wants  to  do  as  Paul 
did,  i.  e.,  not  to  sow  where  others  have  been 
at  work.  It  is  virgin  soil  as  regards  the  Gos- 
pel, and  I am  anxious  to  spend  this  coming 
Summer  there  getting  the  language  and  ac- 
quaintances among  the  people.  I held  serv- 
ices daily,  and  had  communion  and  baptism  in 
all  the  churches,  and  a short  conference  for 
workers. 

Coming  to  a spring  outside  the  village  of 
“Fever”  or  Malaria  just  at  sundown,  we 
rested  to  make  some  tea  and  boil  some  eggs 
while  the  buffalo  were  enjoying  the  water  be- 
low the  spring.  Being  some  few  hundred 
yards  from  the  village,  it  appeared  too  danger- 
ous to  spend  the  night  there,  so  catching  the 
buffalo  we  were  soon  ready  for  a start.  An 
unexpected  delay  happened — that  kitten  that 
Margaret  had  insisted  on  bringing  from  Sul- 
duz  couldn't  be  found,  and  she  could  not  be 
satisfied  until  we  had  searched  far  and  wide 
with  the  lantern.  So  leaving  the  cat  and  the 
marks  of  our  camp,  we  started  off  down 
through  a deep  ravine  and  up  on  the  other  side 
to  the  threshing  floors  where  there  would  be 
the  protection  of  one  bunch  of  robbers  against 
another.  The  barking  of  the  dogs  wakened 
Boaz  and  the  sleeping  guards.  They  wel- 
comed us  and  we  drove  in  among  the  piles  of 
straw  and  grain  and  those  who  had  no  bed  on 
the  cart  made  one  in  the  chopped  straw.  I'or 


ITIXKUATINO  IN  THF:  EUiL’K(;  MOl’NTAINS 


all  the  straw  the  cattle  ate  during  the  night  no 
charge  was  made,  but  when  the  man  attempted 
to  carry  away  a hatful  in  the  morning  he  had 
to  pay  full  price — this  is  a custom  of  the  land; 
one  may  enter  a vineyard  and  eat  to  his  satis- 
faction— that  is  not  stealing — but  if  he  should 
carry  off  one  grape  he  becomes  a thief. 

That  morning  between  daylight  and  dark  we 
got  under  way,  the  children  still  asleep  in  the 
cart  as  it  went  wheeling  over  the  rocks  and 
stones.  Sometimes  I found  mj'self  wondering 
if  I were  dreaming  with  the  children  or  were 
really  alive  in  this  twentieth  century.  The 
dreamy  old  buffalo  wobbling  along  so  slowly, 
the  creaking  of  the  great  cart  on  its  wooden 
axle,  the  passing  of  the  caravans  or  camels 
with  their  heavy  loads  and  peculiar  attendants 
singing  their  weird  songs,  mingled  with  the 
ding,  dong  of  a hundred  different  bells — it 
seemed  as  though  we  were  a part  of  Abra- 
ham’s outfit  going  up  from  Ur  of  the 
Chaldeans. 

Then  the  sun  came  up  out  of  the  lake  and  the 
day  began  to  get  warm,  and  passing  through 
the  little  mud  village  of  Diza  we  drove  into  an 
open  field,  loosed  the  animals,  put  up  two  cot 
beds,  started  a fire,  and  ate  our  breakfast 
while  looked  upon  by  a hundred  curious  eyes. 

It  was  late  and  dark  when  we  got  into  the 
village  of  Babarood.  And  the  village  was  in 
great  excitement,  for  that  evening  just  after 
sundown  a woman  had  been  shot  by  thieves  in 
the  vineyard.  The  raisins  were  drying  on  the 
“warazani” — a smooth  sloping  bank  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  get  all  the  sun.  The  watchers 
were  in  the  tower.  In  the  gathering  dusk  they 
4 


saw  the  thieves  sweeping  u])  the  raisins,  and 
when  the  woman  put  her  head  over  the  para- 
pet to  frighten  them  away  site  received  the 
charge  full  in  the  face.  When  we  arrived  tlie 
village  was  simt  tip  tight.  Xo  one  would  stir 
from  liis  lionse.  Occasionally  1 could  see  a 
form  come  up  out  of  a hole  in  one  roof  and 
darting  across  the  adjoining  roof  disappear 
into  another  hole,  hut  could  get  no  one  to 
come  near  to  me  or  listen  to  my  crying. 
Finally,  after  knocking  rei)eatedly  at  a door 
where  friends  lived,  a timid  woman  came  and 
asked  wlu>  is  there.  'I'lie  voice  of  the  for- 
eigner assured  her  and  we  were  soon  settled 
for  the  night,  hut  I can  tell  j-ou  our  eating  that 
night  was  slim,  for  there  was  nothing  in  the 
house  and  no  one  would  leave  one  house  to  get 
anything  from  another,  e.xcept  such  as  could 
be  reached  from  the  roofs.  We  did  what  we 
could  to  comfort  and  to  assure  them  that  the 
safest  time  is  just  after  an  accident.  Xe.xt 
morning  as  we  passed  out  of  the  village  we 
saw  the  place  of  the  shooting. 

The  road  thus  far  led  along  the  edge  of  the 
lake.  It  is  a very  prettj'  country  and 
specially  productive  in  the  region  of  Dole  hy 
the  village  where  we  had  breakfast.  It  is  well 
watered,  has  good  orchards,  an  abundance  of 
pasturage,  but  has  been  completely  destroyed 
by  the  Kurds.  “Everything  is  lovely  and  only 
man  is  vile”  is  true.  The  people  are  robbed, 
plundered  and  used  in  forced  labor  under  the 
despotic  rule  of  a few  masters,  the  chiefest  of 
whom  at  this  tinte  is  .\bdulla  Bog.  In  passing 
through  the  village  I called  at  the  fort  where 
he  is  living.  He  was  asleep,  for  it  is  said  he 
5 


sleeps  only  in  the  daytime  surrounded  by  his 
guards,  and  at  night  keeps  his  own  watch.  At 
that  time  he  was  in  special  fear,  if  not  danger, 
from  the  Turks,  who  threatened  to  send  down 
an  army  on  him  if  he  did  not  accept  their  rule 
and  enroll  himself  a subject  of  the  Sublime 
I’orte.  We  passed  a few  minutes  pleasantly 
together,  then  I passed  on  and  he  returned  to 
his  bed. 

Up  till  January  7th  I was  busy  in  the  villages 
only  over  Sundays,  but  on  that  date  the  heav- 
ier work  of  the  W'inter  began.  I have  visited 
some  sixteen  villages,  holding  special  services 
in  each  for  one  week.  Sometimes  there  were 
two  villages  close  enough  together  to  be 
worked  and  on  such  occasions  I would  preach 
three  times  a day.  Thus  to  the  first  of  March 
I have  preached  one  hundred  and  si.xty  times 
and  reached  about  32,000  people  by  close 
count. 

The  power  of  God  was  with  us  in  many  of 
these  services.  Many  men  made  a confession 
of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  for  the  first  time.  In 
the  large  city  church  the  services  were  espe- 
cially well  attended,  and  the  room  was 
crowded  to  its  capacity.  On  the  Sunday 
morning  closing  the  series  we  had  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  forty-live  persons  unite  with  the 
church.  A large  proportion  of  these  were 
young  men. 

In  the  village  of  Geogtapa  thirty-five  united 
with  the  church — twenty-two  of  them  young 
men.  .And  I have  the  delight  of  hearing  up  to 
the  present  time  that  they  are  all  standing  true 
to  their  confession 

I went  to  the  little  village  of  Kurttappa  with 
6 


1 


GUOUI*  OI*  PKkSIAN  VILLAGKRS.  ONF  OF  THESE  MEN  IS  SON-INLAW  OF  A 
SAYII)  OK  LINFw\L  DESCENDANT  OF  MOHAMMED.  HE  BECAME  A CHRISTIAN 
AND  WITNESSED  A GOOD  CONFESSION  IN  HIS  NATIVE  TOWN  UNTIL  HE  MET 


a good  deal  of  fear,  for  I had  not  had  good  re- 
ports from  it,  and  the  name  of  it  is  “The  Wolf 
Hill.”  There  is  a small  Moslem  population 
mixed  with  the  Syrians.  Our  first  service  was 
not  well  attended,  and  that,  added  to  a very 
cold  reception  we  had  received  from  the  vil- 
lagers (though  the  dogs  were  cordial  enough 
in  the  noise  they  made  as  we  entered),  made 
me  feel  blue  as  I went  to  bed  on  the  floor  that 
night — the  window  nailed  for  fear  of  robbers. 
I knew  we  had  some  friends  there,  or  I would 
not  have  been  invited  to  come,  but  the  strength 
of  the  opposition  was  evident. 

The  next  service  saw  a little  improvement 
but  gradually  the  audiences  grew  till  the 
rooms  would  not  hold  them.  A large  part  of 
the  hearers  were  Moslems.  They  joined  with 
us  in  singing  the  Christian  hjmins,  gave  in  the 
collections  and  six  of  them  rose  and  made 
confession  of  faith  in  Christ.  So  decided  were 
they  in  this  declaration  that  they  said:  “We  will 
give  a letter,  striking  it  with  our  seals,  to 
prove  to  you  that  we  are  Christians.”  They 
were  different  from  the  fellow  in  the  adjoining 
village  where  we  walked  each  afternoon  for 
service.  There  the  first  day  the  crowd  was 
fairly  good,  meeting  in  the  general  living  room 
of  the  family — in  fact  the  only  room  in  the 
house.  It  was  cold  and  we  crowded  around 
the  “tanoora,”  a deep  hole  in  the  floor  in 
which  the  cooking  is  all  done.  Sitting  witli 
our  feet  in  the  hole  and  a blanket  spread  over 
our  knees  we  were  quite  comfortable  till  new 
comers  arrived  and  took  our  places.  As  we 
sat  there  crowded  together  an  old  woman 
came  carrying  a small  child  in  her  arms.  Slie 
8 


squatted  at  the  outside  of  the  crowd,  hut  pres- 
ently crowded  closer  and  said  in  a loud  voice 
as  she  pushed  her  way  through:  “Let  me  get  to 
the  fire,  this  child  has  the  smallpox.”  So  she 
sat  on  one  side  and  I on  the  other  with  men, 
women  and  children  between  us.  A little 
thing  like  smallpox  couldn't  scare  anybody  in 
this  country.  The  child  was  brought  to  the 
service  every  day  for  a week  and  I haven’t 
heard  that  it  died.  1 started  to  remark  about 
the  saying  of  a man  who  was  there  the  first 
day  and  never  returned.  The  young  theologi- 
cal student  with  me  led  in  singing  some  songs 
of  an  evangelistic  nature,  and  then  I read  the 
third  chapter  of  John  and  talked  to  them  on 
the  16th  verse.  They  listened  with  great  in- 
terest and  with  many  remarks  and  questions 
and  with  frequent  interjections  of  “that's 
true,’’  “pah  pah.”  “wah  wah,”  “why  don't  our 
own  men  tell  us  these  things?”  etc.,  etc.  I 
noticed  the  man  opposite  me  growing  sullen. 
He  watched  the  student  as  he  took  some  notes 
of  my  sermon,  and  made  a note  of  the  number 
present.  When  the  service  was  over  I invited 
them  to  the  next  day's  meeting  and  urged  their 
attendance.  This  man  then  found  his  oppor- 
tunity and  with  a loud  voice  he  called  out: 
“You  had  better  not  come  back;  we  don't  want 
j'ou;  we  are  not  of  your  religion  and  don’t 
want  to  be  English.”  A chorus  of  “Pah  pah, 
pah;  who  made  you  our  attorney?  Has 
George  become  governor  of  the  village!” 
And  then  he  remarked  again  in  louder  tones: 
“Didn’t  you  see  him  writing  our  names?  He 
has  us  all  in  his  little  book,  and  to-morrow 
they  will  draft  us  into  the  English  army!” 
9 


“Out  upon  you,  George,  he  is  our  man.  The 
Americans  are  not  politikie;  they  never  have 
deceived  us  in  these  fifty  years.”  Then  turn- 
ing to  me  they  said:  “Sahib,  the  village  is 

yours;  don’t  pay  any  attention  to  him;  he  is 
foolish.”  George  was  already  out  of  the  door 
shouting  back  reproaches  and  the  people  were 
laughing.  He  never  came  hack,  hut  last  week 
when  a caller  came  from  the  village  I heard 
that  he  was  soon  after  that  in  a fight  and  had 
stabbed  a man  in  the  village.  Fortunately  the 
man  did  not  die  and  George  got  off  w'ith  pay- 
ing the  doctor’s  bill. 

Some  people  find  great  amusement  in  a 
drunken  man  and  laugh  heartily  at  his  foolish- 
ness, but  the  sight  of  such  a man  brings  the 
tears  to  my  eyes  and  makes  iMrs.  Allen  sick. 
'I'hat  was  the  thing  we  encountered  when  we 
drove  into  the  village  of  with  the  fold- 

ing organ  for  a week’s  special  services.  The  first 
man  we  met  was  so  drunk  he  did  not  know 
his  own  name.  He  followed  us  to  the  church 
building  and  entered  it  with  us  and  insisted  on 
making  himself  disagreeable.  Swallowing  my 
])ain,  I invited  the  fellow  to  come  to  the  service 
when  he  was  sober,  and  then  took  Mrs.  Allen 
out  into  the  sun.  The  man  did  come  to  the 
service  and  when  I called  for  a show'  of  hands 
of  those  who  wante<l  to  he  Christians,  his  was 
the  first  to  go  up.  1 was  surprised,  though  I 
have  learned  that  God  docs  suri)rising  things. 
And  1 was  more  surprised  when  in  an  after 
meeting  he  made  a good  confession  before 
many  of  his  old  mates.  When  I called  at  his 
home  a few  days  later  1 found  his  old  father 
sick  unto  death,  but  he  rose  uj)  in  his  bed  to 


to 


j>rcct  me  with  Iiis  peace  ami  say:  “Sahil),  you 
are  welcome  to  this  house;  your  feet  are 
blessed,  for  your  coming  to  this  village  has 
brought  great  joy  to  this  family.  When  1 
heard  that  our  son  had  given  himself  to  he  a 
Christian  1 said  in  my  heart,  if  1 had  a thou- 
sand dollars  it  would  not  he  enough  t(j  give  to 
the  Sahil)  for  this  great  joy  of  seeing  this  hoy 
become  a clean  man  before  1 die.”  The  father 
has  since  passed  away,  hut  the  son  remains 
true  to  his  confession.  In  these  services  two 
other  drunkards  were  converted,  and  one 
dancing  man  who  made  his  living  attend- 
ing weddings  and  feasts,  dancing  and  singing 
lewd  songs.  He  said:  "1  don’t  know  where  1 
shall  get  a new  living,  hut  the  old  one  is  gone 
forever.” 

In  all  the  villages  I have  found  a great 
hunger  for  something  better  than  the  old  life 
gives.  I'p  in  the  Fort  the  crowds  came  three 
times  a day  and  sat  until  midnight.  They 
gathered  in  the  morning  before  I was  up  (and 
I rose  at  seven),  and  held  their  places  for 
hours  squatted  on  the  floor.  It  was  necessary 
for  us  to  forbid  the  children  coming  in  the 
morning  and  evening,  so  we  held  a special 
service  for  them  in  the  afternoon.  Thej’ 
obeyed  the  command  but  the  grown  folks  did 
not — they  attended  the  children’s  meeting  say- 
ing “we  understand  that  better.”  It  was  there 
that  one  woman  attending  regularlj’  with  her 
three  children  missed  one  service  and  I won- 
dered. At  the  next  she  was  present,  squatting 
in  the  middle  of  the  floor.  I saw  something 
had  happened,  for  her  face  was  swollen,  her 
eye  was  cut  open,  and  her  nose  broken.  The 


THE  ‘ HOLE  IN-  THE  KUH)K”  WHEKE  THE  l!.\KIN<;  IS  DUNE 


trouble  w.ts  tliis:  Her  luisbaud  being  away 

she  lives  in  the  house  of  her  brother-in-law 
(or  he  in  the  house  of  her  husban(n.  The 
evening  before  the  lire  in  the  hole  in  the  floor 
had  insisted  on  smoking  ami  Idled  the  room 
with  smoke.  These  holes  have  this  habit — 
indeed  they  never  do  anything  else.  Hut  her 
brother-in-law  was  cross  that  evening,  for  he 
had  probably  lost  heavily  in  gambling — per- 
haps he  had  lost  two  new  lambs.  He  com- 
plained of  the  smoke,  swearing  meatdy,  and 
when  the  timid  woman  tried  to  put  the  fire 
out  with  water,  and  for  a moment  made  more 
smoke,  he  grew  furiously  mad,  and  grabbing 
a stick  struck  her  in  the  face,  with  the  result 
above  mentioned.  It  seemed  a little  strange 
that  the  women  of  the  village  considered  it 
nothing  at  all.  and  rather  joked  about  it.  They 
have  all  had  their  share  of  similar  experiences, 
and  this  man  was  not  even  censured. 

We  took  up  a free-will  offering  here  on  the 
Sunday,  and  had  in  the  basket,  which  was  a 
hat,  Turkish.  Russian.  Danish,  English  and 
Persian  moneys,  with  sixty  eggs  and  three 
roosters  and  one  hen.  It  did  look  funny  to 
see  a boj'  holding  a rooster  by  his  red  legs  all 
during  the  service,  knowing  that  he  was  to  go 
in  the  collection.  The  woman  who  had  been 
beaten  offered  to  go  to  the  mountain  and  bring 
down  a load  of  wood  if  somebody  would  buy 
it.  and  give  the  money  in  the  offering.  It 
would  take  her  half  a day  at  least,  walking 
through  the  snow,  and  the  back-load  would 
probably  bring  not  more  than  two  and  a half 
cents. 

It  is  not  our  custom  to  travel  on  Sunday, 

13 


.kOl  l'  OF  AKMKM.WS  r\  TIIF,  CITV  OF  H \M.\I).\N 


hut  it  iliil  seem  necessary  that  time,  so  in  tlie 
morning  we  started  again  and  as  there  was 
not  so  much  mud  at  this  end  of  the  road  we 
got  to  Gavalan  about  one  o'clock.  To  show 
you  wliat  strict  cliurcli  memhers  we  have  here 
in  this  country  I might  say  that  tlie  pastor  of 
the  church  here  was  ipiite  angry  tliat  we  had 
come  on  Sunday  and  as  the  young  man  with 
me  is  a meml)er  of  this  cluircli  he  remarked: 
“I  am  sorry  hut  I must  withhold  the  Com- 
munion from  Rahhi  Yoseph  for  having 
traveled  on  Sun<lay!”  He  changed  his  mind 
when  he  heard  our  story.  At  the  services  here 
we  had  a regular  attendance  of  Russian  sol- 
diers amounting  sometimes  to  fifty.  They 
came,  not  understanding  a word  that  was  said, 
hut  paid  splendid  attention  and  gave  the  best 
behavior.  I invited  them  to  remain  to  an 
after  meeting  and  preached  to  them  through 
an  interpreter — an  officer  who  knows  English. 
They  seemed  to  enjoy  the  services  and  made 
me  promise  that  I would  return.  This  was 
once  more  when  I felt  the  effects  of  the  Tower 
of  Rahel.  There  were  three  languages  in  use 
at  Gavalan  that  I could  not  use  as  a preacher 
— Russian,  Turkish  and  Kurdish.  These  sol- 
diers far  from  their  homes  and  in  a strange 
land  were  hungry,  and  being  far  away  are  now 
peculiarh'  open  to  the  influences  of  Evangeli- 
cal truth.  They  begged  for  Bibles,  and  for 
light  and  for  friendship,  and  mj-  heart  was 
sore  that  I could  not  speak  with  them  in  their 
own  language.  I wished  it  were  possible  for 
me  to  spend  the  next  Summer  in  Russia  get- 
ting the  language.  But  that  costs  money. 

\\'e  were  coming  from  another  village 


15 


on  a Sunday  afternoon  and  had  nearly 
reached  the  village.  There  we  met  a man,  two 
women  and  a little  girl.  The>'  passed  us,  re- 
ceiving our  peace  and  returning  it.  A moment 
or  two  later  we  heard  a cry  and  turning  round 
saw  the  man  and  one  woman  lighting  over 
the  child.  He  struck  the  child,  knocked  it 
down,  and  kicked  it:  then  catching  it  by  one 
leg  he  was  about  to  dash  it  on  the  stones  when 
the  woman  caught  its  arm  and  broke  the  fall. 
By  that  time  I was  there  and  had  the  man  by 
the  throat,  but  didn  t know  what  to  do  with 
him.  I didn't  want  to  hit  him  and  didn't 
want  to  let  him  go,  so  just  held  him 
while  I talked  like  a Dutch  uncle.  My  blood 
boiled,  for  I had  left  a little  girl  at  home 
and  was  thinking  of  her.  Then  what  do  you 
think  he  said  when  I let  him  go?  Looking 
calmly  at  me  he  said:  **Sahib,  don't  be  cross; 
it  s nothing,  she  is  only  a girl  and  she  is  my 
own  daughter!"  Just  then  a Russian  soldier 
who  had  seen  the  performance  from  a distance 
came  up  all  out  of  breath,  looked  at  me  and 
remarked:  “Command,  Sahib,  and  I’ll  hit  him: 
once  will  be  enough.”  We  led  him  back  to 
the  village,  marked  his  house,  took  his  name 
and  went  home  to  think  about  it. 

On  the  road  of  “Ali  the  robber,”  on  the  way 
to  Oshnook  (for  it  is  nearer)  we  were  soon 
o\  ertaken  by  a pleasant  fellow  who  we  were 
sure  was  not  Ali  himself.  He  engaged  us  in 
conversation  and  brought  strange  things  to 
our  ears— tales  of  Kurds  and  robbers.  He 
was  a middle-aged  fellow  and  of  a pleasant 
face.  He  continued  with  us  slowly  along  the 
road,  asking  leading  questions  that  brought 
out  discussions  of  the  differences  between 

i6 


Islam  and  Cliristianity.  W'lien  he  came 
to  the  forks  in  the  road  that  led  to  his  village, 
just  off  the  side  of  the  main  road,  he  persuaded 
us  to  rest  in  his  house  and  cat  bread.  And 
there  being  plenty  of  time  1 consented  with 
the  hope  that  I might  he  able  through  the 
friendship  with  him  to  find  a place  of  entrance 
into  his  village. 

He  proved  to  he  one  of  three  cousins — sons 
of  three  brothers — and  he  and  his  cousins  have 
large  influence  throughout  the  whole  of  the 
district  and  are  rated  as  wealthy.  All  three 
were  present;  pleasant  fellows,  the  two  younger 
I holding  lower  places  and  recognizing  the  posi- 
I tion  and  power  of  the  elder.  He  sat  at  the  head 
’ of  the  room  as  I entered,  rising  at  my  appear- 
ance at  the  door,  coming  forward  and  leading 
me  to  a seat  by  his  side.  In  a moment  dinner  was 
ordered,  though  it  was  but  nine  o’clock,  and 
the  room  began  to  fill  up  with  men  curious  to 
see  and  hear.  The  talking  was  started  by  our 
' companion  of  the  way,  telling  the  things  I had 
said  to  him  on  the  road,  and  the  elder  looked 
to  me  for  confirmation.  All  the  men  were 
armed  with  rifles  and  belts  of  cartridges  about 
their  waists  and  over  their  shoulders.  I had 
remarked  that  the  Kurds  and  the  English  are 
of  one  blood  and  that  I liked  to  think  of  them 
as  my  brothers.  A brave  young  fellow  im- 
mediately asks:  “If  that  is  so  why  is  it  that  you 
have  gone  so  far  ahead  and  we  have  remained 
so  far  behind  in  the  world  race?”  That  was  a 
good  question  and  I replied:  “As  I see  it,  it  is 
I this  way — our  fathers,  if  they  were  two  broth- 
ers, started  across  the  bteppes  toward  Europe. 
The  brother  who  became  your  father  turned 
'7 


I 


KKNDISII  rlllEK  AND  MIS  KETAINERS.  THIS  KURD  HEARD 
THE  GOSl-EI.  ONCE  FROM  A MISSIONARY  LADY  IN  PERSIA 


soiitli  under  the  Caspian  Sea.  came  into  these 
parts,  later  embraced  Islam,  learned  of  his 
prophet  the  ways  you  follow — that  is,  they 
learned  to  rob,  to  kill,  to  steal,  to  have  many 
wives  and  to  live  an  idle  life.  The  other 
brother  went  over  Kurope,  became  a follower 
of  Jesus  Christ,  learned  of  him  his  way,  did  the 
things  he  taught  them — that  is,  to  tell  the  truth, 
to  work,  to  abhor  idleness  and  to  make  men 
of  themselves.  W hat  we  are  we  have  learned 
of  our  religious  heads.  He  became  our  father. 
.\nd  now  that  we  have  found  you  our  brothers 
in  this  condition.  I have  come  to  invite  you 
to  come  with  us  and  follow  Him  who  gives 
the  greater  blessing."  Immediately  there  was 
a great  uproar,  the  younger  men  all  accepting 
and  defending  me,  the  older  declaring  the 
foundations  of  Islam  would  give  waj'  under 
such  talk  from  the  Infidels,  and  that  in  the 
good  old  days  the  Infidel’s  blood  would  mark 
the  place  where  he  let  such  foul  words  out  of 
his  mouth.  As  they  fought  among  themselves 
1 sat  still  and  cpiite  safe,  as  I saw  the  strength 
of  the  division  was  perhaps  on  my  side.  One 
old  man  with  long  grey  beard  remarked  when 
quiet  was  restored:  “If  we  are  brothers  and 
you  want  us  to  he  one,  why  don’t  you  come 
and  he  one  of  us,  we  are  willing?’’  The  j-oung 
braves  began  to  scold,  but  I said:  "Let  him 
alone,  he  asked  a good  question.  See.  his 
beard  is  grey.  Father,”  I said.  "3'ou  have 
lived  manj-  3‘ears,  3-011  have  gained  much  ex- 
perience. Can  3'ou  go  back  to  the  3-oung 
again?  Xo.  The  3-oung  must  conic  up  to 
3-0U.  So  it  is  with  us.  I am  far  ahead  on  the 
journe3-  of  life.  W’e  have  received  from  the 

19 


good  God  many  blessings  and  our  lives  have 
been  made  rich  with  His  love.  We  cannot 
come  back  to  you  in  your  low  condition,  but 
we  want  now  to  lift  you  up  through  Him  who 
lifts  us  up  to  the  place  where  we  are.  Come 
up,  don’t  pull  others  down.” 

The  \\  inter  s work  has  been  very  satisfac- 
tory. Far  better  than  last  year  I think.  There 
is  a better  spirit  in  the  churches  and  a greater 
desire  for  the.  truth  among  the  people. 

For  seventy-five  years  this  W'est  Persia 
Mission  has  prayed  for  open  doors,  and  God 
has  answered  our  praj-ers  and  given  us  an 
open  country.  An  old  Kurd  said  to  me  last 
Spring:  “I  saw  the  Christians  in  Urumia 

fifty  years  ago.  They  were  ignorant  laborers 
and  poor.  I see  them  to-day  and'  because  of 
your  schools  and  churches  under  the  blessing 
of  God  they  have  become  the  learned  and 
the  masters  of  the  land  and  the  land  is  in 
their  hands.  But  the  Kurds  are  yet  as  dogs. 
I have  thirty-two  boys  under  my  roof,  give 
us  a school  and  these  thirty-two  shall  be  your 
first  scholars.” 

These  are  the  two  positive  facts — the  open 
door  and  the  great  conviction.  .And  the  nega- 
tive is  this  that  our  Moslem  work  still  lies 
almost  untouched.  There  comes  to  my  mind 
frequently  that  incident  of  the  man  into  whose 
charge  the  prisoner  was  put  with  the  words: 
^ hy  life  for  his  if  he  escapes”;  and  who  made 
reply  in  the  evening  at  the  close  of  the  fight: 
"\\  hile  thy  servant  was  busy  here  and  there 
he  got  away.” 

May  the  good  Lord  enable  us  this  coming 
year  to  do  the  thing  wc  know  ought  to  be 
<lone,  and  enter  the  Open  Door! 


Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
of  the 

Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A. 
156  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York 


F'orm  No.  2ot)i 


Deceinl)cr  i,  IQ13 


